Kalayaan's mayor says a Chinese ship was spotted in the West PH Sea during the Chinese President's Manila trip
APEC HANDSHAKE. Philippine President Benigno Aquino III greets Chinese President Xi Jinping upon arrival for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders’ Meeting family photo at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City on Thursday, November 19. (Photo by Benhur Arcayan/Malacañang Photo Bureau)
While promising to be a “perfect host” to Chinese President Xi Jinping, the Philippines got an unwanted visitor: a Chinese ship in the disputed West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).
Kalayaan Mayor Eugenio Bito-onon confirmed to Rappler on Thursday, November 19, that a Chinese coast guard vessel was spotted close to the disputed Pag-asa Island in the West Philippine Sea.
Bito-onon said based on the reports of his staff, the ship was spotted as close as 4 nautical miles away from Pag-asa Island.
He said the ship was spotted at the southwest part of Pag-asa Island from November 9 to 18.
It left in the morning of Wednesday, November 18.
Bito-onon’s town, Kalayaan, is located in the West Philippine Sea with Pag-asa Island as its seat of government.
Sought for a reaction, Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) spokesman Charles Jose on Thursday said his department “is verifying this report with our defense officials.”
‘Don’t offend your guest’
Xi is visiting the Philippines from November 17 to 19 for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit.
During the APEC Summit, both the Philippines and China agreed not to play up the West Philippine Sea dispute because APEC is mainly an economic forum.
Marciano Paynor Jr, director general of the APEC National Organizing Council, said it best in an interview with Rappler: “Don’t offend your guest.”
Staying true to the Philippines’ promise, the DFA even dodged questions on the West Philippine Sea at least during the APEC Summit.
The Philippines and China remain locked in a decades-long dispute over the West Philippine Sea. Manila filed a historic case against China to settle this maritime row.
Five days after Xi leaves the Philippines, a powerhouse Philippine team is set to return to The Hague, Netherlands, for a hearing on Manila's case.
http://www.rappler.com/nation/113395-xi-chinese-ship-west-philippine-sea
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